Being unable to swing the details to spend my 1st 3 weeks retired walking the Appalachian Trail, I have opted to walk the 250+ kms from my house in Halifax, NS to the Confederation Bridge, PEI. Sounds simple enough. Nice, laid back secondary roads, fair amount of stores, gas stations and motels along the way, early spring weather.I'm bringing a 9 kg pack with a winter-weight sleeping bag, mat, rain gear and change of clothes, plus a cell phone and camera (for all the highlights).
My sleeping places will be a few motels and your basic on the ground in a sleeping bag.
Why am I doing this? I want to break the mental tie from a 23-year career job, see how my body handles everyday distance walking and see just how uncomfortable I'm willing to be at my advanced age. When I did this stuff in my 20's, the ability to be uncomfortable made a whole lot of other options that much simpler. I have to be a lot tougher than I am currently to do the sort of travelling I want to do in New Zealand (Walk and Wwoof my way from North to South for at least 1000 kms).
This trip will be a good test of my gear setup, my headspace and my aging parts. The 'on the ground' conditions will be a good test of all the mental mojo.
Everything else fits inside a 40 liter bag (the blue one showing in my profile picture.) Weight is 9 kgs with .5 liter water, 1 day food and a few morning porridges and hot chocolates.
GEAR
40 liter knapsack
Waist pouch for camera, map and change
15 liter waterproof liner bag
Cat's Meow winter-weight poly sleeping bag
Self-inflating mat
Cell phone, watch, camera, 1-cell radio
Compass, whistle, foil blanket, multi-tool, candle
Map, book, glasses, pen/pencil, Therma-rest repair
Rope, cable-ties, sewing kit
Water bottle (.5 liter) and chlorine tablets
KITCHEN / FOOD
Butane/propane stove, pots, gas, matches
Cup, spoon, knife, can opener, scrubber
4-5 packets of porridge, tea
Multi-vitamins
1 day of food (apple, pasta or soup, chocolate, nuts, bread)
CLOTHES
Body - Hat, t-shirt, shorts, socks and boots
Rain shell, pants, gaiters
Sandals
Tights
Skull cap and balaclava
Bathing suit and towel
2 poly hats, light & dark
2 wool socks and 1 poly liner
2 poly gloves
2 spare tops (short and long)
2 underwear
MEDICAL / TOILETRIES
Band-aids, moleskin, alcohol gel, compression wrap, Vitamin I
Gauze, tape, Murine, asthma inhaler
Toothbrush/paste, floss, vaseline, sun lotion, toilet paper
